Field scale
Ghawar measures about 280 by 30 km and is divided into zones including Ain Dar and Shedgum, Uthmaniyah, Hawiyah and Haradh, so sites are widely spread.
Al Ahsa · ATEX and IECEx
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in Al Ahsa
Al-Ahsa is the largest governorate in Saudi Arabia by area, with Hofuf as its seat and a 2022 population of about 1.1 million. The Ghawar oil field, the world's largest conventional field, lies within it and is operated by Aramco, creating Zone 1 areas at wells and gas handling facilities. This page explains what to look for in an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for Al-Ahsa (Hofuf), and where the IS-04Z1 stands against that list today.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicATEX and IECEx
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteSpecification
WhereAl Ahsa
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Al-Ahsa (Hofuf): pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · ATEX and IECEx
Checklist: ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for Al-Ahsa (Hofuf)
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Marking | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 on the rating plate | Design target; not yet marked |
| EU-type examination certificate | Notified body number and certificate ID | In progress with TÜV; not issued |
| IECEx certificate of conformity | Number listed on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | Al-Ahsa (Hofuf): Oil wellsites and gathering, Associated gas handling, Water injection facilities | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Al Ahsa
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Al Ahsa. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The site · Al-Ahsa (Hofuf)
Working in Al-Ahsa (Hofuf): operators and classified areas
The companies on site and the hazardous-area types a handset is likely to meet there.
Operators and companies on site
- Saudi Aramco
Classified areas to expect
- Oil wellsites and gathering
- Associated gas handling
- Water injection facilities
- Pipeline pump stations
Local conditions · Al-Ahsa (Hofuf)
What Al-Ahsa (Hofuf) means for portable equipment
Climate
Hot desert climate with high summer temperatures and dust.
Field notes · Al-Ahsa (Hofuf)
More about Al-Ahsa (Hofuf) that matters for portable equipment
Al-Ahsa (Hofuf): geography and layout
Ghawar's reservoir is a limestone about 85 m thick, lying roughly 1,800 to 2,100 m below ground, so wells and surface facilities handle high-pressure oil and associated gas.
Al-Ahsa (Hofuf): logistics and access
Al-Ahsa International Airport lies 25 km from the city centre and has flights to Jeddah, Medina and Dubai; highways link the area to Riyadh, Dammam and Abu Dhabi.
Al-Ahsa (Hofuf): geography and layout
The Al-Ahsa oasis and Hofuf lie on the east flank of Ghawar, in the area of the 'Uthmaniyah production zone, so farmland and settlements sit close to oil and gas facilities.
Al-Ahsa (Hofuf): industry on the ground
Operators are reported to inject seawater into Ghawar at around 7 million barrels a day, in use since 1965, which means long water-injection pipelines and pumping plants.
The term · ATEX and IECEx
What “ATEX and IECEx” means for a smartphone
ATEX is the European legal framework for equipment used in explosive atmospheres (Directive 2014/34/EU). IECEx is the international certification scheme built on the IEC 60079 standards. Buyers outside Europe often ask for both: an IECEx certificate is the technical evidence most national regimes build on, while ATEX is the legal route into the European market.
For the IS-04Z1 both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and neither certificate has been issued. The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: equipment Group II (surface industry), Category 2 (Zone 1 gas), protection concept ib (intrinsic safety), gas group IIC and temperature class T4.
In Al-Ahsa (Hofuf). Al Ahsa is home to the Ghawar field, where Aramco reviewers would want certificate evidence matched to wellsites and gas handling. A dual ATEX and IECEx route helps international contractors who move between fields and projects. The IS-04Z1 has no certificate yet; certification is in progress, and nothing should be assumed accepted.
The route · specification
Specifying an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for Al Ahsa
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Check on the paper
- Marking
- Equipment group, category, protection concept, gas group and temperature class, matched to the area drawing.
- Certificate and schedule
- A certificate number, issuing body and the schedule of conditions, not a brochure claim.
- Standards edition
- The IEC 60079 or national standard edition the certificate was issued against.
Check for the IS-04Z1
- Marking target
- II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: a target, not yet a certificate.
- Certificate status
- IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 in progress; none issued.
- Operator approval
- Separate from the certificate and handled with the site operator.
Questions · Al Ahsa
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone in Al Ahsa today?
No. Nothing can be bought or taken into a classified area today: certification is in progress and launch is planned for Q4 2026. What is available now is the datasheet, the written certification schedule and evaluation units for safe-area use.
What does an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone in Al Ahsa cost?
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined quantity and site.
Is the IS-04Z1 ATEX and IECEx certified?
Not yet. Both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and no certificate has been issued. Any listing that says otherwise is wrong.
Which areas at Al-Ahsa (Hofuf) would use it?
Likely candidates are oil wellsites and gathering, associated gas handling, water injection facilities, pipeline pump stations. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
Is intrinsically safe the same as explosion proof?
Not exactly. Explosion proof is a broad everyday term; intrinsic safety is one protection concept, which limits energy so ignition cannot occur. Flameproof (Ex d) is a different concept that contains an explosion. The IS-04Z1 is intrinsically safe by design.
What flights serve Al-Ahsa for visiting engineers?
Al-Ahsa International Airport is about 25 km from the city centre and has scheduled flights to Jeddah, Medina and Dubai. Many visitors instead fly to Dammam or Riyadh and drive, so check current schedules and the client's transport arrangements.
Does water injection at Ghawar create hazardous areas?
Water injection itself is mainly a pumping and piping activity, but it supports oil production, so nearby wellheads, separators and gas handling can be classified. The classification is set site by site by the operator; ask for the area classification drawings before specifying handheld devices.
Is the Al Ahsa climate a battery concern?
Hot desert conditions with high summer temperatures and dust are normal here. Batteries and electronics have temperature limits, so check the datasheet range against expected conditions, and avoid leaving a handset in a hot vehicle. IP68 helps against dust, but it does not address heat or ignition risk.
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Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Al-Ahsa (Hofuf)
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Al-Ahsa (Hofuf), Saudi Arabia
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · Al-Ahsa (Hofuf)
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Al Ahsa?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.